Rahul Gandhi detained by Delhi Police near PM Modi's residence during Congress protest

A high-voltage political face-off unfolded in the national capital on Tuesday as Congress leaders, led by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, staged a sit-in protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence over the alleged police crackdown on students protesting the NEET paper leak issue.

In a dramatic development, Minister of State (MoS) in the Prime Minister's Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, reached the protest site and met Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders after being deputed by the government to hear their concerns.

The Congress has accused the Centre of being "insincere and insensitive" towards students protesting against the NEET paper leak and has demanded accountability over the issue. The party also criticised the police action against the demonstrators, alleging excessive use of force.

Visuals from outside the Prime Minister's residence showed Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, DK Shivakumar and several other senior Congress leaders sitting on a dharna as Dr Jitendra Singh interacted with them.

Political observers described the government's decision to send the Union minister to the protest site as an attempt to open channels of communication with the Opposition amid escalating tensions.

The protest came a day after the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) organised its 'Chalo Sansad' march and Samajwadi Party MPs held a foot march from Parliament to Jantar Mantar, demanding accountability over the alleged paper leak.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, along with other Congress leaders, gathered outside Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence at 10, Rajaji Marg before marching towards the Prime Minister's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg.

The Congress questioned why no one had been held accountable for the alleged NEET paper leak and accused the government of suppressing students' voices instead of addressing their concerns.

The issue also disrupted proceedings in the Lok Sabha, with Congress members demanding an urgent discussion on the alleged lathi-charge and tear gas shelling on protesting students. The repeated protests led to the House being adjourned for the day.

"We have marched to PM Modi's house to demand answers from him for the brutalities against young students yesterday," Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X.